Was very surprised today to get our first egg from the chickens we got as one day old chicks in late November 2010. These were described as the breeder as "rustic" birds and they've turned out huge. The regular hybrid chickens we've got in the past have taken 5 to 6 months before laying so was expecting the same with these - seems these aren't your average hybrid, rather some sort of Super Spanish bird. I've never seen chickens eat so much, grow so quickly or lay so early - tortilla for supper tonight. :)
;D
Photo of hens?
Mine has always started laying when 18-21 weeks old unless they have come to an 'age' in autumn..then they normally skip the laying until spring.
Yes...it would be lovely to see your 'super monsters'..mine eat fingers and all given a change ::)
I'll take a couple of photos later on when I go down there. Just cracked the egg open, actually had it fried for lunch, and it was a double yolker.
I've uploaded a couple of photos here http://www.flickr.com/photos/granyanella/ - not sure it does justice to them though.
I had two eggs this week, the first since the end of August. My hens are very old now and I keep them more as pets, so it is a bonus to actually get eggs from them. ;D
Just seen your photos..nice looking birds ;)..are the super hybrids laying /dual or meat breed?
Paulines..how old are your girls? My first lot were 9 yrs old and they still gave me odd egg each week but they too needed longer resting period between moult and spring. But aventually they started to 'perish' ...one at the time..old age I suppose..and last one we helped to go as it wasn't fair to keep her on her own.. :-\ But you do get attached to them..just like with cats and dogs..they are funny things with their own individual personalities ;D ;D
We got them as laying birds but have eaten a couple - plenty of meat and very tender. The ones we hatched 10 days ago were really going to be the birds for breeding and the table.
3 of the chickens have died in the last week :( - not seen it before but it just seems the eggs they were laying were too large. The last eggs they laid had a lot of blood on them and next morning they were dead - same for all of them. It's so frustrating as I don't see there's anything we can do about it. Has anyone seen this before?
I haven't seen it nor heard of it. But unless they were showing any other symptoms of desease or bad condition..I wonder if it genetic..
Usually when mine become to laying age..they start with tiny eggs for first few days at least..and egg size gradually increase....but..those chickens who have been late season hatches and come to age when winter is 'on door' usually don't start their laying until spring. When they start laying they make 'normal' size egg straight away..but by late spring they are much more mature then.
Did you have a look your 'girls' bottoms when you found them?...was the anything hanging outside the vent? (called cloaca= egg chamber)
I'll have dig out my 'encyclopedia of poultry diseases' CD..and see if there is anything about it..I'll get brack to you once I've done some reading.. ;)
I've been digging that CD..found it and it turns out be floppy.. ..and my puter don't 'do' floppy's anymore so I'll have to get it transferred into Cd . I'm afraid that info will be for a while..
BUT...there is quite good list of all deseases and they symptoms and treatments here..:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/ (http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/)
Thanks, I'll take a look. The vents were all quite bloodied and no sign of illness the day before they died. I wonder if it is a genetic thing, comparing them to the other chickens we have they do seem "overbred", maturing quite early, large eggs from the start and chunky birds.